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Congregation back in sanctuary for first time since 2017 fire to celebrate Easter

Congregation back in sanctuary for first time since 2017 fire to celebrate Easter | 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Fire severely damaged the sanctuary and community room at Broadway United Methodist Church on the near-north side of Indianapolis Dec. 17, 2017. The congregation returned for the first time Easter weekend, April 21, 2019. (photo courtesy Broadway UMC)

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - This Easter feels like a miracle for a church on the near-north side of Indianapolis.

The congregation at Broadway United Methodist Church will finally be able to worship in the sanctuary again after a devastating fire happened there a year and a half ago.

That fire started on December 17, 2017, the week before Christmas. The sanctuary was decorated for the holiday at the time. A fire started in the community room, which is right below the sanctuary. The building reeked of smoke and was covered with soot. Plus the community room, which smoldered for hours, was destroyed.

The rest of the building also had some major damage. The walls and insulation were falling apart, chairs and other furniture melted.

Since that all happened, they have been working to restore everything the fire ravaged and little by little getting to use more spaces within their church again. Some parts of it were reopened on Ash Wednesday of last year.

The building, which is nearly a century old, is being restored not just to its former glory but even beyond that, with new pews, a new ceiling and LED lighting, among other things.